A Most Precious Friendship
by WildWelshWitch
Summary: You never forget your first true friend. Clopin-centric fic. WARNING: Bittersweet ending and Character-Death. Slightly AU mixed with some minor mythology. Please Read and Review? EDITING will be happening in the next few days!
1. I Remember…

Paris………..

It'd changed a lot since she'd last been here; she looked around at the buildings that surrounded her. Most of the places she'd known, and the streets she'd walked were long gone now.

They'd been torn down, condemned or bombed away in the last two great wars no doubt.

In her memory, it'd been full and busy with people selling random things on the streets and pick pocketing was rife and…well, maybe it hadn't changed too much in that respect.

"I wonder…" she thought, "how much of what I remember is still there?" She looked around, trying to reconcile the modern Paris with the Paris in her mind; overlaying the map in her head to the city now and working our exactly where she was.

Catacombs and sewers didn't change that much, they crumbled and became neglected and forgotten, but the paths stayed the same and the cathedral was still there.

With a smile, she darted across the busy road that separated the two sides of the city, revelling in the angry yells and honking of horns as she dodged cars; it felt like a game she hadn't played in years and the she loved it, enjoying the buzz the game produced. All too soon she arrived at the other side of the road and there it was, Notre Dame cathedral. She looked up at it and it looked down, looming over her, as tall, imposing and as busy as ever, though in place of the devoted, now it bustled with tourists.

"Can I interest you in a map of the cathedral, miss?" a vendor inside the main doors asked

She shook her head in a polite 'no', not able to tell him that she didn't need a map because she already knew her way around. She knew it so well that she could have walked it with her eyes closed.

"Are you sure?" the vendor inquired, "It has a brochure telling you all about the history…No? Oh well, enjoy your visit anyway"

She gave him a smile, dropped a donation into the church fund box anyway before she headed back outside. She'd never felt she was truly welcome in the houses of God…must've been to do with how she'd entered the world.

There were a couple of street performers outside, doing what they did best, so she stood and watched awhile.

It was fun…and brought back more memories of before.


	2. A Strange Way to Meet

**_Author's Note: I think I (hopefully) edited all the crap out of this thing, I'll be editing properly now._**

_**While I'm here, I want to thank Opaque Opal for all the suggestions and crits. (highfives her for it) OK, read on now.**_

There was music and much dancing in the street, vendors selling wares, flags flew, stall games and puppet shows, people dressed in bright costumes, selling their wares and generally enjoying life.

Not so for the young woman with long, vivid red hair. Gracefully, she dodged soundlessly past the revellers, drunkards and the general populace. If she could just find somewhere quiet, then maybe she'd be able to think and possibly obey the order she'd been given.

Master had told her that morning to 'go and enjoy yourself today'… privately she had to wonder how much wine had been drunk that morning before he reached that 'generous' decision.

Enjoy herself…how did you do that?

"Standing alone on such a day?" a cheerful voice behind her asked quite suddenly. She didn't jump, but turned to face the speaker.

A gypsy.

She'd seen a lot of them…travelled with a few once. This one was dressed in shades of purple and yellow, his face covered by a purple mask and shadowed with a hat. Like most gypsies his hair was black and his skin was dark and she didn't notice his arm around her waist until he tugged her slightly closer.

"Come and join the festivities," he smiled, "be my dance partner for a turn!"

Taking her silence as acceptance, he led her out into the crowd, either he didn't see the panicked look on her face or chose to ignore it.

Sapphire's pale face peered around helplessly as the gypsy led her through the crowd, staring in horror as people leaned forward, grinning, laughing and egging her on towards the dancing.

The gypsy took her by the waist and stopped at the edge of the crowd that had gathered around a small group of other gypsies that were dancing.

He grinned brightly and pulled Sapphire in, twirling.

At this point, she wished she was able to talk, because she felt the unusual urge to scream, very loudly until he let her go.

However, this wasn't possible, so she resigned herself to it, he'd get bored before she did.

The gypsy took her by the hand and spun her towards him rather quickly, grinning down at her as he spun her back out.

"What's your name?!" He yelled over the laughing and music as he pulled her close and lifted her above him and set her down again; grabbing her waist quickly as he slid her around the circle in which the gypsies were dancing.

She shook her head at him, sooner or later he'd work out she was a mute, right?

He grinned brightly and laughed, hitting himself in the forehead as he took this into realization.

"Ahhhh, you can't speak! I should've known!" He nodded vigorously and grinned. "Could you maybe show me your name?" He leaped into the air and landed lightly on his feet, catching her into his arms again. "And then give me a smile! It's a festival! Have fun!" He grinned more and spun around with her

Sapphire chose this moment to slip out of the dance and vanish into masses.

"Thank the gods," she thought, dodging through the crowd again, "if that's supposed to be enjoyable, I'm fairly satisfied to be a servant."

Somehow, the gypsy grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him, standing in the crowd.

"Thought you could get away?" He grinned brightly and pulled her through the crowd, out of the dancing. "Don't like dancing? I could take you to someplace you better like!" He nodded. "A young lady such as yourself shouldn't go without an escort." He winked and grinned. "What do YOU enjoy?"

She frowned at him slightly, tried to pull out of his grip, and found it was tough as steel.

WHY was he following her? He was like a dog with a meaty bone to chew on.

She really, really wished she had some slate and chalk

Finally, she signed at him, 'book'. What did she enjoy? She liked reading. (When someone is mute, reading and writing become a necessary way to communicate when a hand gesture won't get your meaning across)

The gypsy grinned brightly at her and pulled off his hat, bowing deeply, but quickly. "I'm Clopin." He stood up and watched her as she signed the word 'book' to him.

"Books! Books... Books... AHA! Books!" He grinned and took her hand, leading her down the crowded streets. "I know this bookstore," He grinned, leading the way. "The owner's rather snooty but I can take you there!" He was nearly galloping down the street.

Sapphire didn't have much choice but to follow him. Unbidden, one corner of her mouth twitched upwards slightly. This gypsy was persistent if nothing else.

Clopin smiled brightly as he looked back and lightly poked the corner of her mouth.

"A smile! That's better!" He laughed and stopped outside the store. "Here were are!" He led her inside and looked around, spinning to face her. "There's plenty inside…but the shopkeeper's rather grumpy, so be careful!"

She nodded and Clopin nodded fast as he spun to face the store before he galloped in and began peer at some inked art that was hanging up on the wall at the back of the store, making "hmmmmm" and "ahhhhh" noises as he did so.

Sapphire walked to the back of the shop, it wasn't big, didn't need to be, not a lot of people could read right now, she wondered if it'd ever change…OK…let's see…Bibles…more bibles…basic medicine…myths and legends…One in particular caught her eye. Bound in blue and small…Mythical creatures. She picked it up.

Her 'father' had once had an interest in this sort of thing. Very carefully, she opened it, as if it were something precious, and probably was to her.

Griffons, Centaurs, Wyrms…very nice.

Clopin poked his head over her shoulder and grinned.

"Oooooh, Good choice, are you going to get it?" He'd produced a puppet from somewhere and was making it talk. He himself grinned brightly, putting his chin on her shoulder.

She shook her head gently, quickly getting used to his odd way of acting, she didn't have any money, Master didn't pay her, even if he had it certainly would not have been enough to buy a book.

She felt though, that she was starting to understand the gypsy now. It was like someone had taken a child and stuffed it into an adult's body and turned him loose. Very carefully, she made a show of puting the book back, mindful of the shopkeeper's eye on her before nodding to Clopin that she wanted to leave now

He laughed a bit and pulled her along.

She raised an eyebrow at him and mouthed 'are you always this energetic or are you just happy that there's a carnival?' honestly curious.

No one was like this ALL the time…were they?

Clopin stared at her lips, blinking a bit and tried very hard to decipher what she was saying. Once he got it, he grinned.

"Oh yes, I am always like this, of course." He nodded and let out a small chuckle, patting her on the head. "Just enjoying life while it lasts."

"…a short while" she mouthed, getting it. A short while for others anyway.

"Sapphire," she mouthed as an afterthought

Her companion blinked a bit and tilted his head, staring with a goofy smile. "... Sapphire... Oh!" He laughed. "That's your name? It's pretty." He nodded and put his arm around her, sauntering around.

Sapphire nodded, if she could've laughed, she would've at that moment, feeling in good cheer now that she wasn't the centre of attention for a crowd.

Clopin laughed a bit and grinned. "I'm quite fond of a particular species in mythology, I've always wanted to meet a Golem." He nodded a bit. "But that stuff is all fairy tales, can't possibly exist. Things for the scholars to pour over," He nodded silently, staring at the sky, laughing.

She blinked at him…not really? Awkwardly she looked away, 'Oh, They're closer than you think' she thought to herself, 'you wouldn't believe'

Clopin looked down at her, blinking.

"Hey? Did I make you sad? Do you believe in that stuff? Look at meeeeeee." He whined, jumping around her now. "I believe, I believe!"

Sapphire couldn't help it; she smiled at him.

He was…silly.

Yes, that was a good word. Silly but nice, she supposed.

Clopin grinned and stopped, staring at her.

"I made you smile?!" he puffed his chest out in pride. "This is a proud day for Clopin!" He laughed and took her hand, pulling her along. "Come on, we'll find something to do," He nodded and tugged on her arm gently.

Much more willingly she followed him this time.

Maybe she'd be slightly too quick to judge him before, at least he seemed to know when he'd reached a certain point

The crowds were all focused in the main squares; the music still played despite it getting late into the afternoon, but there was the feeling in the air that things would wind down soon.

Much later Clopin was perched on top of a tall stonewall, Sapphire not for behind him, it'd been an afternoon of 'rooftop tag' and finding out just how agile the red haired girl was. He was breathless by now but she didn't seem affected at all

"Hey Saph." He looked down at her once she'd reached him; she was a little shorter than him, "follow me!" and he jumped gracefully down to the street, she followed him easily, not daunted by the height.

"I've got to get going..." He whispered, still smiling. "Can I see you sometime?" He nodded. "Please? You're quite entertaining to play with." He laughed. "And I'm sure I'm growing on you." He nodded, tapping his chin with his finger. "I grow on everyone, so it's not unlikely..." He grinned down at her. "So... Can I walk you home?".

Sapphire considered this…no harm she supposed. Since she'd likely be the first one back and would definitely be the only sober one in the house tonight.

Clopin offered his arm to her, smiling. His humour was winding down a bit, but he still had a goofy grin on his face.

"Well, I'll be more of the protection." He laughed. "Since I don't really know where you live..." He nodded a bit and led her out of the garden and into the street. "Lead the way, madam." He chuckled softly.

She gave a soft shake of her head in amusement as she led him. It was one of the larger houses in Paris, away from the peasant part of town.

The back door was locked, but since she kept the key around her neck, she opened it easily enough.

Then she did something she hadn't done for a few years.

She gave someone a small kiss on the cheek, a way of saying 'thank you'

Clopin's cheeks turned pink, but he puffed out his chest a bit and laughed.

"Well, you're welcome, Sapphire." He grinned and winked. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

Tomorrow…

She shrugged, honestly not knowing the answer to that.

Clopin frowned. The first time he had in quite some time, but it soon melted into a smile and he grinned.

"Well. No problem. If I see you, I see you. If I don't, I think I'll be able to somehow survive." He faked being a fainting woman, then laughed a bit and wrapped one arm around her, hugging her gently. "See you when I see you." He nodded. "Alright?"

Sapphire nodded back…then looked thoughtful for a few seconds before she gave him a 'one minute' gesture and headed inside.

When she came back she had a loaf of bread, still slightly warm from this morning, which she offered him. She knew gypsies, you repaid kindness with kindness, he'd been nice to her when he hadn't had to be. Besides, Master wasn't likely to notice one loaf from the dozen or so she'd made during the night.

Clopin tilted his head and looked at the bread.

"Well... uh... thank you!" He grinned as he took it from her and tucked it under one arm, "much obliged." He kissed her forehead then laughed. "I'll see you later, alright?" He turned, walking away from the house. "Goodbye!" he gave a little wave and dashed off quickly.

The golem girl shook her head again, and headed inside, closing the door.

Maybe there was something to enjoying yourself.


	3. The Good and the Bad Times

_**Author's Note: Edited…mainly for my own peace of mind. I just hope it all flows better, and that it's clearer that Sapphire isn't a human. Again, thanks to Opaque Opal for giving me tips here. Go read one of her stories if ya haven't already.**_

Sapphire paused in her task of hanging sheets…someone was trying to be quiet.

Nonchalantly she took one step to the left…just as Clopin jumped down, landing in the exact place she'd just vacated.

She was used to the gypsy's ways now, always had to make a big entrance.

Putting on one last peg, she took her slate and a piece of chalk out of her skirt pocket and scribbled on it quickly, holding it up for him to read.

'_I'm starting to see a pattern to your visits, Clopin. You always turn up just after I've baked.'_

Clopin laughed silently to himself and pulled her into a hug, kissing her forehead, it was only a friendly gesture and she never took it as anything else.

"You know me all too well, Saph." He grinned brightly and nodded then added "You smell of cinnamon," He tilted his head a bit and guessed: "Cinnamon rolls today?"

She rubbed out her writing and scribbled again.

_'Good guess. Two answers. Yes and no. Yes, I made cinnamon rolls and no, you can't have one'_

Clopin pouted a bit, but then continued to grin at her.

"That's alright. I came to see you anyway... How is Topaz?" He patted down a little cowlick that was forming in her hair and grinned. "Still working at the bakers?"

_'He's in Italy. He was sold'_

The gypsy man's eyes went wide, and he grabbed her shoulders, staring at her. "You didn't... Did you?" He looked absolutely mortified.

Sapphire rolled her eyes._ 'His Master sold him'_

Clopin glared a bit and then sighed, scratching the back of his head.

"You're not going though, are you? I couldn't let my right-hand lady leave me behind!"

_'I'm not going anywhere as far as I know'_

Clopin grinned brightly and hugged her tightly.

"Good." He swung around the laundry pole and grinned at Sapphire. "I'd miss you too much!"

_'I'd miss you…'but I'm pretty certain you'd forget me after awhile, you know. There are lots of HUMAN ladies in Paris to distract you"_

He rolled his eyes at and grinned again.

"Yes, but I can't forget my friend." He laughed and patted her head. "I'm glad my feelings of missing you would be returned." He nodded and laughed a bit, "anyway, I've come to invite you to a secret spot!"

The golem girl tilted her head curiously. Well, secrets were something she was good at. Someone who couldn't speak could spill them after all.

Clopin grabbed her by the hand.

"Can you come now, or do you have other things to do?" He blinked a bit.

_'Cinnamon Rolls in the ovens for the next 5 minutes. Then grocery shopping. After that, I'm all yours'_

The gypsy grinned widely and marched around the yard, rather like a peacock fanning it's tail.

"I'll come with you shopping. I'll wait out here until the rolls are done..." He laughed a bit. "I don't want to tempt myself to eat them."

_'If it were up to me, I'd let you have one. Unfortunately, it's not.'_ she smiled, before tucking the slate and chalk back into her pocket and picking up the laundry basket before heading inside to take the rolls out of the oven.

Clopin waited patiently outside, humming and marching around like an idiot, soon marching on his hands, still waiting patiently. 5 minutes never went past so slow for him.

The big surprise for him had been finding out that his friend was a golem, (she'd fallen off a wall one day, something which would've snapped the neck of a human and yes, there'd been a minute where he'd been certain she was dead, but then Sapphire had sat up and, somehow, snapped her neck bones and skull back into place) She was actually one of the creatures he'd wanted to meet. A bigger surprise was finding out that there was another living in the city. Sapphire's brother by the same 'father' (what they called their creator), a male one named 'Topaz' and that they had a 'sister' still in England named 'Emerald' (the two girl's named after their eye colour, the boy for his dark blond hair.)

She'd explained, in detail, how they were created from the flesh of the dead and animated by holy writing inside their heads and then bought and sold by masters or mistresses (more commonly it was a master) and how a golem's value increased depending on how many tasks it could perform, but that the golems themselves were more or less created as uncomplaining slaves, receiving no wage for the work they did (and they usually did THE worst jobs in a household or business in which they working, the ones that no one else wanted to do) because they were viewed as machinery and possessions, not people. That she'd never physically age, how she could be destroyed but couldn't die as a human would and that golems did not speak because the scroll of holy writing inside their skulls meant that speaking would've been blasphemy.

Clopin sighed softly as he stopped to smell the flowers that grew in this particular garden (mostly weeds and some patches of grass here and there) and then stared up at the sky. Hearing that his friend could be sold away at any time her master felt like it, and even worse; knowing that she'd never age and never die, hurt deep down.

He still smiled and joked, however, and tried to make her stay as pleasant as possible before she was sold off.

As he looked up at the sky, smiling, her turned to the door, blinking. It had been a lot more than five minutes... He went to the door, ready to go in to check on her., before she stepped out that very second, a basket on one arm and a cobweb struck to her fringe.

He blinked a bit and spun out of her way quickly before she bumped into him, and brushed the cobweb out of her hair, smiling.

"Are you okay?" He laughed. "There are cobwebs in your oven? What happened?"

_'Someone put the basket in the back of the storeroom. The spiders like it back there, it's dark'_

He nodded a bit and brushed the cobweb off onto his pants.

"If you say so... Was your Master in there?" He yawned and stretched lazily, with a smug grin.

_'Why?'_

Clopin looked down at her and shrugged.

"I ask everyday..." He laughed a bit. "You're acting very strange today, what's wrong...?"

_'I miss Topaz. Emerald too…'_

Her friend pouted and hugged her, rocking back and forth.

"Hey, It'll be okay." He nodded. "You'll see them again, I know it! Trust Clopin!" He grinned and poked her nose.

Instinctively, she wrinkled her nose, and then pretended to bite at his finger.

"No biting." The gypsy laughed softly and wagged his finger, "Come on, shopping!' He skipped away.

She followed easily enough through the busy streets; she never had any trouble keeping up with him,

Clopin kept to the streets today, leading her in and out of places she needed to go, ignoring the scowls a few people cast their way and careful not to steal anything, even though he hadn't eaten in a little while.

That's why he was surprised when the golem bought a bag of apples she didn't need (he knew this since he'd seen her buy some yesterday)…even more so when she passed them to him rather than put them in her basket and then nodded encouragingly when he gave her a startled look

Clopin blinked a bit and looked down at the apples, then looked up at her, grinned and carried them proudly.

"I've got apples!" He sang, loudly

_'How long since you last ate?'_ Sapphire scribbled on her slate as they walked aimlessly now that the grocery shopping was done.

He blinked a bit and blushed; pausing as he took a bite before he chewed and then swallowed it.

"Three seconds...?" He smirked.

She gave him a _look_.

Clopin laughed a bit and patted her head gently.

"Yes, yes, I know... I didn't want to be your burden." he grinned. "You're too nice, you know that?" he put his arm around her shoulders, "Far too nice."

_'Not a burden. You're my friend, I don't want you to starve to death'_

He shook his head and let go of her slowly, peering around, before making a quick turn into an alley and dragging her with him.

"Yeah, but it's my responsibility to feed myself. I've just been spending my earnings on more important things."

'_Like?'_

Clopin led her up a staircase, just grinning. As he reached the top of the building, he covered her eyes and led her up, uncovering them.

Before her was a whole rooftop covered in flowers and vines and plant life…things he'd stolen from around, but she didn't really need to know that.

"Well, I've been doing some gardening." He grinned (well, SOMEONE had done some gardening…that counted for something, right?)

Sapphire was stunned, completely and this made her friend hesitate, his grin fading slightly.

"Do you not like it...?" He blinked a bit.

'I'm just beyond words, Clopin' then she dropped her slate and hugged him tightly,

Clopin caught the slate with his foot so it wouldn't break and hugged her back with one arm, laughing a bit.

"I'm glad you like it," he nodded a bit. "I even rigged up a small fountain." He pointed. "I call it, Uh... Well, I don't have a name for it, but it's pretty"

If possible, the golem hugged him tighter, humans would've cried, she just closed her eyes and looked happy.

Clopin hugged her tightly back and kissed the top of her head.

"Well, go on, have a look around, don't keep hugging me for this, it's yours. Enjoy it." He laughed softly.

'No-one's ever done anything even remotely like this. Not for me'

Clopin shrugged a bit and hopped around.

"Like I said! Look around! Get comfy! This is just for you."

Very slowly, she walked around, like someone in a dream, occasionally touching a plant as if committing it to memory.

He wondered if Golems dreamed at all?

And if this was the sort of thing they dreamed of if they did.

He'd have to ask…Later.

**5 months later**

To say that Clopin was surprised to find Sapphire sitting beside the entrance to the court of miracles hugging her knees and looking for the entire world as if her head was next up on the executioners block, when he emerged to begin his day's work, was an understatement.

She looked miserable, something he hadn't seen before in past months of friendship.

Clopin walked up, staring, with an unsure smile on his face, worry in his eyes.

"Hey Saph, what's the problem? You look more blue than the bruise I got on my knee falling down the stairs to the garden." He blinked a bit and stared down at her.

The golem raised her bright blue eyes to him, leaving him certain that she would've been crying if she'd been capable of it.

Instead she handed him her slate, the message already written on it.

_'Master sold me last night'_

Clopin stared at the slate, wide-eyed. Then he dropped it and stared at her.

"Where to? Why? Who? What? When are you leaving?" He looked absolutely devastated.

_'Because someone paid him 200 gold pieces for me...When the sun goes down…I won't be here anymore'_

He stared, looking from her to her slate, the message written there, and back again, his mouth open with shock. He tried to close it, but it just fell right back open again. He looked like he was going to cry as he pulled her into a tight hug, holding onto her for dear life. "Why so soon..?"

Sapphire just shrugged and hugged back as tightly.

Masters came, masters went, that was the way things were for golems but she didn't want to leave Paris.

This was where her friend was.

Her first real friend

Clopin sighed softly and stroked her hair, thinking.

"... Come on then, let's make this a good last day!" He grinned brightly through his pain and took her hand. "Shall we go to your paradise?"

Sapphire shook her head, not wanting to move, she wanted to stay here and be held. No one had held her since her creator had died and Topaz had left.

She felt terrible for making Clopin sad though.

Clopin pouted a bit, but smiled and snaked his arms around her, rocking back and forth, "it'll be okay. We'll see each other again."


	4. Reunited Long Enough to Say Goodbye

Down the worn stone steps…along the dark tunnel of the catacombs…mindful of the skulls, went Sapphire.

'Please be here' she thought, 'please be here. Please be here.' over and over again.

She nearly tumbled over a skull that'd rolled into her path, but arms grabbed her shoulders and hauled her up.

"What've we here?" a voice asked, as a candle was suddenly lit, revealing two lean men and one squat one, dressed in black, "surely not a spy? Not these days"

"She's a pretty thing…looks like one of us…Look at her earrings."

"She LOOKS like a rich man's servant"

Sapphire struggled due to the grip on her shoulders and went for her slate, holding it out for inspection.

'_Please,'_ the message she'd written in preparation read, _'take me to Clopin?'_

One of the men made a drawback breath and sighed a bit, releasing her arms, whispering went on above her.

"Writing on a slate…"

"Always thought he made it up…

"Look at her hair, her eyes…

"And not a word from her…

Until…Finally…

"Leave her." The leader nodded a bit. "I'll take her to him... I don't know how much time there is." He grabbed Sapphire's hand, his smile glinting a bit as he grinned at her. "Come on then, I'll take you to see him. Step lightly. There's a few rocks around here that you could really do some damage with." He nodded and pulled her.

At least that meant he was still here, hadn't moved on.

Fifty years had gone past since she'd last seen her friend. She'd been passed around a lot, the master that'd taken her from Paris had tired of her after he'd got remarried two years after he'd purchased her…a lot of travelling had happened before she'd come back now.

The court hadn't changed too much, still hung with banners, still filled with gypsies, tramps and general thieves. She didn't care, ignored the curious looks cast her way.

She'd see her friend soon, which was what mattered

The man pulled her along until they reached a small medical building, leading her inside.

The walls were lined with beds of people, some were just bodies they hadn't bothered to remove.

At the end of the row there was a small room full of beds that were pushed together, waiting to be used. It couldn't have been very comfortable having someone dying right in your face.

At the end of a less-crowded strand of bed lay Clopin, playing cards with liver-spotted hands and a grin beaming at the little girl who was losing.

"Sir…You've a visitor," the gypsy leading Sapphire said respectfully.

Clopin put his cards down and looked at Sapphire, blinking. It was then that she could see he was nearly blind, balding and looked very old. The little girl climbed off the bed and skidded away into her own bed, pulling the covers up to her nose, her little feet sticking out from the end.

Clopin squinted and then grinned brightly as he recognised the bright red hair. "Is that my Saph?" He clapped happily, cheerful even on what had to be his deathbed.

The golem nodded then all but threw herself into the gypsy's embrace.

Her Clopin

Her friend

He was still here.

She wasn't too late.

She thanked any god that was listening.

Clopin hugged her weakly and smiled, kissing her forehead, just like he used to.

"I told you I'd see you again." He laughed a bit, and then coughed loudly into a handkerchief. "I'm glad you came before I went..." He nodded and stroked her cheek.

She shook her head in amusement then gently tugged some of the gypsy's once black locks, turned pure white and thin by time, obviously making some comment about him getting older

Clopin pushed her hair back and laughed as he took in the cloth headscarf and the bright gold hoops he'd given her before the sun had set that last day, so long ago now. "You look like a gypsy, Saph. Have you been getting in trouble?" He grinned.

She looked up and gave him a wink; reminiscent of the sort he'd given out so freely back then, before she went for her slate.

_'I missed you.'_

Clopin stared at the slate for a while, and then pushed it away. "I can barely read anymore, Saph. I'm sorry." His smile faded. He looked so upset that it tugged at Sapphire's heart. "I really wish you could talk..." He sighed a bit and hugged her closely. "I'm assuming you said that you missed me... So I return the feelings..." He coughed again, his whole body rattling.

The man stood next to them. "Clopin... Are you ready?" He nodded.

Clopin nodded and pulled himself up, ready to get out of bed. The man took him under his arm, and the gypsy king looked at his and smiled. "I told them I didn't want to die until I was with you in our secret spot..." He nodded.

Sapphire blinked in surprise, it was still there? She'd always assumed it'd died at some point

Clopin was placed in a wheelchair, and he pulled Sapphire into his lap, and the man pushed them out the door. "It took some effort to keep it growing, but I promised you I'd take care of it..." He nodded.

Sapphire nuzzled his shoulder gently then went playfully nose-to-nose with him in thanks. The garden was a nice memory she had. But it'd always been part of her memories of her gypsy friend.

Once they reached the garden, there were plants everywhere, a few benches, and birds flying around everywhere. He had added quite a bit in the 50 years she had been gone.

"Prepared for your arrival." He grinned as he pulled himself out of the wheelchair and lay in the grass, staring at the sky and the clouds, squinting so they would come into his focus better.

She just sat and held one of the now frail hands. It was beautiful, she knew that, but it was touching that he'd waited for her to come back.

Very gently, she squeezed the hand her held hers.

Clopin look over at her and smiled softly. "I told you I'd wait for you..." He nodded a bit, giving her a sly grin. "I'm glad you're alright." He nodded and closed his eyes gently, "tell me what you've been up to..." He whispered, still smiling, still staring at the backs of his eyelids.

The gypsy that'd escorted them stood there, watching, but in the end, he had to turn away. He knew what the plan was.

Sapphire curled up against her friend's side and laid her head on his chest, listening to the thump of his heart, it was faint and weak, and she knew the end was quite close.

She knew that, but it still made her sad.

The golem girl leaned up and then, in a voice as soft as a falling feather actually spoke.

"I…will miss you…Clopin. I will never forget you, my friend. I love you…'

Clopin smiled and pulled her into a tight hug, kissing her forehead, nose, and cheek. "Good..." He whispered. "I'll be watching, you know..." He opened his eyes and gave her a frightened look. "Saph, I'm scared... Please…Just lay here with me…until it happens..." He held her closer and closed his eyes. "I'm afraid..."

She couldn't deny him that.

She'd never been able to deny him anything.

So she hugged him and rocked him slightly, the way he'd done to her so many times so many years ago when he'd been a young man.

What more was there to say now?

Except…

"Don't…be afraid. It's a new adventure…you love adventure" her voice crackled slightly, not used to the task of speaking, but it seemed to make him happy.

Clopin held onto her tightly, crying into her hair. "... Alright... Adventure..." He whispered and smiled softly, burying his face into her neck. "... Goodbye then..." He whispered.

The man had turned back, reaching for his hat to pull it off and place it against his chest in sorrow.

Clopin's last sight was of Sapphire as he closed his eyes for the last time, his grip slowly loosening as the seconds went past

Soon, he was lying there quietly, a smile on his face. He looked like the young Clopin all over again. He was gone, but he was happy and at peace.

And he'd done it in his usual dramatic fashion

'Goodbye' she thought sadly, whilst, unnoticed, a single tear ran down her face and fell into the grass.


	5. …I Have Not Forgotten

Down the worn stone steps…along the dark tunnel of the catacombs with their crumbling walls…mindful of the dried out and broken skulls, went Sapphire. An electric torch held in one hand, lighting her path to her destination.

The Court of Miracles,

The place where the lame walked and blind men saw

The flags had rotted away, the tents had gone ragged and the makeshift gallows collapsed, but other than that, it was unchanged and she swore she could hear the echoes of chatter of the gypsies, tramps and thieves that'd once lived here.

A community she'd once been privileged to feel a part of due to their hospitality, she'd found them more trustworthy than the 'honourable' men who lived above.

With purpose, she headed towards the back, towards a ragged tent that'd once been purple and yellow but was now a dull grey from dust, and entered it, looking through the rotting and torn debris inside until she found what she was looking for, not caring that she got dusty and dirty, that could be washed away easily enough.

'Hello, old friend' she thought, carefully holding up the small hand puppet, dusty, slightly chipped and dressed in faded purple and yellow, 'did you think I wouldn't come for you?'

Sapphire smiled to herself, pausing before she left the court.

"I hope…that you're having as much fun as you can without me," her voice, still feather soft spoke for the first time in over two hundred years.

Maybe it was her mind…but she swore she heard Clopin's laughter in the air once more as she gently tucked the toy into her coat pocket and carefully made her way back to the streets above.


End file.
